Saturday, February 28, 2015

Preparing| for a little mini-vaca with family
over Spring Break. The kids are stoked about having time off and I have
to admit I am working on suppressing my excitement -- not about what we’re
doing or going, but the excitement of family time.

Reading| Hebrews with If Gathering, and taking
it really slow. The words are reverent, and I am trying to focus on His
words and glean a little bit of wisdom from it all.

Hoping| That spring will come early this year
and hold on a bit before summer strikes. In the midst of the gray, gloomy
winter, we are seeing glimpses of warmer weather here and there, and it makes
me long for days spent outside.

Wanting| more time to be still. Time to dwell on how I feel God is moving in my heart, how to be more intentional, and be present for those in need.

Eating| lots of avocados. I am an avocado-ian. I
love them. I do.

Enjoying| more time with my bible. The deeper into the word I get, the more satisfied I
become with it all. I see it work. I feel less like an intruder
at church and in our small group(s).

Stalking| this
blogger. Corinne photographs her life so well and makes
me want to jump in and invade her space (aka play with her precious kids.).

Anticipating| my next hair appointment. I think
I'm chopping it off. I might change my mind in the next six weeks, but at
this moment, I have decided to go for it.

Watching| Framework. Yes, seriously. You know
that hubs and I have a fire for designing, building and creating, so this is
right up our alley. Except for the drama between the contestants – they’re
downright cruel and insensitive to one another. But the mere excitement of
possibly getting to see the world’s coolest chair keeps me coming back for
more.

Friday, February 27, 2015

It’s Friday, and that means its #INTROFRIDAY day and I
wanted to make sure I jumped in this week!

This past week at UMC, I met some new women at bible study.
One lady asked me what my 30-second elevator introduction is, and I hesitated
with a bit of stage fright. I didn’t expect anyone to be that forward.

So then I got to thinking, this would be a great series to start with my readers and get to know them better.

So, hi! I’m Mandi Roach. Married to a my best friend who
loves me fiercely and mama to four children…four very different personalities.
I’m a blogger, photographer, crafter with a huge thirst for God and a deep need
of His grace. I’m sanguine/melancholy. Mostly spunky and energetic, but also a deep, emotional feeler. This blog has always been my outlet for my melancholy, and the deep things in my heart. But I want to be better at letting my free-spirited self live here, too.

Today’s question: How do you rest? I love a good book or
even a good movie. Sometimes, depending on the season, I can just be outside.
Sitting. Watching. Listening. Just sorta shut my mind off and be entertained by
the world outside.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

When it comes to happiness, genetics plays 50%. 10% is circumstance. And 40% is attributed to our reactions to those circumstances.

Most times, we have no control over circumstances. What we can control, however, is our reaction. Handling everything with grace and positivity is conscious choice…virtually impossible some days no doubt. A venti white chocolate mocha latte usually helps me get back on track. More seriously, looking upon circumstances with gratitude is ultimately what can change my mood from bad to good.

It sounds cliché, but it’s the truth – hardships make us better people. And God is a much better planner with my life than I am.

If you are my real-life friend, you know I'm tired…physically. Tired. Every day. All the time. And with that, I’ve not been the significant contributor at home. My house is a mess 5 days a week. We probably hit the fast food line 3 or more times a week. I no longer have "craft night" or "game night," and I'm not sure I know everyone's name in our church small group.

While folks roll their eyes and exasperatedly remind me to take it easy on myself because I have four kids at home, the weight of my worthlessness gets heavier and heavier every time I look around my house. It’s tough for us mamas to know when we are limited because our job is just so endless. Sometimes being a mother feels so much bigger than us, it’s a wonder we can ever breathe at all.

As horrible as I feel sometimes about the lack of my efforts lately, what it’s done is help me see the abundance bestowed upon me by my family. I am honored and GRATEFUL for my husband and children and all that they’re doing to pick up the slack. I have recognized all that everyone’s doing around me. I recognize the time consumption. I recognize the hard work. I recognize the tiredness. And they’re all enduring it for me. To help me.

Perhaps these moments of clarity—these times of loss and struggle and awakening—are just more gift, in disguise. Perhaps our whole world, or at least the character and quality of our days, hinge on one little word…gratitude.

I’ve learned this in recent years: Gratitude is the secret key that unlocks the door to joy.

I would dare say that if you think of the person in your life who seems the happiest and most content, they have learned to live from a place of gratitude.

Monday, February 23, 2015

2. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch – Let me just say that I am not in love with this book the way everyone else is. Yes, it does make my cry a little bit, but….the scene where the mom drives to her grown son’s house with a ladder on top of her car and breaks into the second-floor bedroom of his house so she can hold him while he’s sleeping? Just…no. It weirds me out. The rest of the book, and the message behind it? Fabulous.

5. If I Could: A Mother’s Promise by Susan Milord – This book is about a sweet raccoon mother telling her little raccoon baby all the things she would do for him if she could, and what she can do for him (love him more than anything, of course).

6. Someday by Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds– This book is all about a mom watching her baby grow up, and it reminds me that even though my kids are young, they won’t always be – and someday I’ll be watching my kids raising their own babies.

9. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle– No baby shower is complete without The Very Hunrgy Caterpillar. I like the board book version better than the regular version, though…the kids love to poke their fingers through the holes and they always end up ripping the pages in the regular book!

10. My New Baby by Rachel Fuller – If there is an older child in the family, this book will come in handy. It explains, in terms a toddler can understand, that a new baby is coming (and all that that entails!).

*Be sure the “sponsor ID” and “enroller id” reads 2482197!*Create a username and password so you may check the status of your order and/or log in faster the next time. Click NEXT and it's pretty self explanatory threafter. If you have ANY questions, just call me at 832.592.3045 or email me HERE.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

What
happened to my free-spirited approach to letting our children lead the way?
Maybe because I took this approach with child #3, whose 3 years old, and he
still takes a baby bottle late at night to relax. Perhaps that’s ‘embarrassing’
for me? But should it be? I mean, there are moms I know who still breastfeed
their 5 year olds.

Back to
child #4. He’s still only 12 months and he drinks fine from a regular cup
and/or straw, but he’s adamant about his bottle during the night.

I’m
discovering that it’s not an issue of sustenance, but rather comfort. Letting
go of this comfort is tough – offering the same beverage in the wrong vessel
just leads to meltdown.

Friday, February 20, 2015

“You are so
fast,” and I praise him and tell him how awesome he is at riding his scooter.

I walk down
the street after him, and turn my eyes up toward the sky and realized I do the
same to God….”Look at me. Look at me, God.”

I know that
this is all we want of God. This is all we really want of Him. For Him to see
us. For Him to watch us. We want Him to walk down the street next to us and
simply be.

We each have
this deep-set need for our spouses, our children, our friends or even our
parents to really see us. We want them to notice us. But what we forget half
the time is the Creator of the universe is already out there on scooters
watching us succeed and fail – and He’s enjoying US the whole time.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

I don’t blog for money. Rather, I blog because it’s therapeutic and provides me the creative outlet I need for my mental well-being. With that being said, I have stumbled upon ways to monetize my blog. However, rest assured that I am very selective on what advertisers send my way, and I write as little or as much as I want. In my case, I have averaged about one post a month for about a year now.

The proliferation of paid sponsorship online has not been without controversy. Some in the online world deride the actions as kickbacks. Others also question the legitimacy of bloggers’ opinions, even when the commercial relationships are clearly outlined to readers.

For some bloggers, product sponsorship has become a lucrative side business.

This is a platform that connects bloggers with brands. They make it very easy to write sponsored blog posts that comply with online standards. It also has the tools available to measure your traffic on social media sites.

Advertisers send you their campaigns, and if you’re interested, you accept to write the post and get paid.

My personal favorite. Just as the names suggested, SponsoredTweets is similar to SocialSpark, but it pays you for sending out tweets versus writing blog posts. It also has an automatic system in place to ensure your tweet abides by all the necessary rules.

Once you sign up for the service and are approved, you’ll occasionally receive emails saying an opportunity is available to you.

Log into your account and you’ll see a sample tweet with required keywords or hashtags that need to be used in your tweet.

The sample tweet is a guide – you can write your own tweet as long as you include the required keywords and hashtags.

Once you've written a tweet, you submit it for approval by the sponsor. If you’re approved your tweet will be sent automatically.

If your tweet needs changes, Sponsored Tweets will let you know and you’ll have the opportunity to correct your tweet.

Then you get paid!

The process is simple and easy, which makes Sponsored Tweets one of my favorite ways to make money online.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

I love cake plates. How about you? I see them at Home Goods and other great
stores and must force myself to leave them on the shelves just where I found them. Sometimes, I will carry
one throughout the entire store…you know, let it marinate in the brain a little
before I finally convince myself that I don’t need it.

Well, a party had to be planned recently. You may remember
the photos I posted of my baby’s 1st birthday party…an up, up and
away themed party and the table dressings had to be just so. But I didn’t want
to pay upwards of $20-30 for a couple of cake stands, so off to the Dollar
Store I went.

A little E-6000 glue, white spray paint, and a few $1 candle
holders and platters later, I had 2 cake stands and a 2-tier cupcake stand.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Are you new to essential oils? If so,
here are a few great recipes/uses that you might find helpful. Note,
however, that not all essential oils are the same. Young Living essential oils
are therapeutic/medicinal grade, verses many oils on the market, which are
cosmetic/fragrant grade. A good rule of thumb is…can your lavender, lemon,
frankincense or peppermint essential oil brand be taken internally? If not,
then how can it be what the label claims! If you want to use this list, then
please only useYoung Living oils! Blessings and happy oiling!

Natural
Laundry Detergent:Use 1 TBSP Thieves Household Cleaner in place of all laundry
detergents. It will not make suds and cleans laundry really well.

For general
bug bites and boo-boo’s: Lavender essential oil and Purification bring relief.

Bee
stings: Try 1 drop of either Thieves or Purification essential oils
on the location of the sting for relief.

Trouble
sleeping? Place hanky sprinkled with a couple drops of Chamomile and
Lavender oil under our pillow.

To ease
a headache: Massage 1 drop of Peppermint, Lavender or Pan Away on temples
(avoiding eye area) and back of the neck for relief.

Dipping
Oil (for bread):In a small dipping bowl put 1 oz. of olive oil and one drop
of either Mountain Savory, Oregano, Thyme, Marjoram, or Basil. Set dipping bowl
on table so everyone can dip as desired.

Calm a sore
throat:Rub a drop of Purification oil on the outside of a sore
throat when it is first beginning. Or, gargle with Thieves essential oil a few
times a day, then swallow!

Aching muscle or
joints:Apply a few drops of Pan Away blend to the affected area and
layer with Peppermint for a natural analgesic effect.

Air
Freshener spray: Add 20-30 drops of Peppermint, Lemon, Thieves, or
Purification to a 32 oz. spray bottle of water – spritz into the air for a
nontoxic freshener that kills odors rather than mask them.

Or do what I did and become a wholesale member to save 24%
off your order. Buy what you want, when you want. NO obligation to buy or sell,
ever!ClickHEREto get your
favorite oils and enter: MANDI ROACH, 2482197

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Monday, February 9, 2015

After some extensive research, thought, and prayer, I
decided to buy the Young Living essential oils premium starter kit. I am so excited
to be expanding my journey in natural living.

Over the years, I’ve made various steps in healthier living.
I’ve learned that everyone has a different name for it…”green,” “natural,” “organic.”
For me, any stride towards improvement and quality of life is frankly, “healthier.”

It’s difficult to know whether widespread disease, like cancer,
has grown due to medicine and/or chemicals, or whether disease went undetected
due to lack of advanced technology. But in my personal opinion, the man-made
chemicals, pesticides and preservatives are clearly contributors to things like
asthma, allergies, cancer, etc. So, why not attempt to avoid these
possibilities? At least for your children?

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL
OILS?

Most of us have an idea of what essential oils are, but may
find it hard to put that knowledge into words. The best explanation that I
found for this question was in the Young Living Essential Oils “An Introduction
to Essential Oils Everyday Essentials” pamphlet on page 1.

Most of us have experienced the incredible
power of essential oils without even realizing it. From the energizing aroma of
a freshly squeezed lemon to the calming influence of a lavender bouquet,
essential oils are all around us.

These concentrated, natural, aromatic
liquids are extracted from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds.
Plants depend on essential oils to grow, evolve, and adapt to their
surroundings. They also play an important role in defending against insects, disease,
and harsh environmental conditions. Pure, unadulterated essential oils have
many potential benefits and are used daily to enhance the lives of millions.

It makes sense that the liquids extracted from the living
things around us have beneficial uses in all areas of life.

WHY ESSENTIAL OILS?

My family and I have been harmed by the practices of
traditional Western medicine (over-use of anti-biotics, inhalants stunting my eldest
son’s growth, family member’s addiction to pain meds, etc). While in some
cases, we've been healed by mainstream doctors, too, so nothing against medical professionals. But do note, it's called "practicing medicine" for a reason.

And let’s not forget the cost of these doctor visits and
prescription fills.

Over the years, I’ve learned to rely more on my motherly
instincts and have seen great results in my rather holistic approach to minor treatments.
That doesn’t mean I use Chinese medicine or see an acupuncturist. It just means
that I choose to use treatments that are rather natural to the earth…

i.e. Breathing, exercise, stretching, foods, massage, and/or oils.

WHY YOUNG LIVING?

There are some pretty not-so-savory things on the internet about
some of the leading oils distributors like Living Young and doTERRA. In fact, this
information is a lot of what gave me pause when I initially was looking into
signing up with YL. I can be a skeptic when people claim such lofty
things about anything sold in an multi-level marketing structure, so I took my
time researching the various oils and asking many people about their
experiences with them. I want to walk you through my process...not just
spout out facts to ya!

Regardless of what you think about either of these companies,
each of them has put out quite helpful books on essential oils and their usage.
And there exist an insurmountable number of positive results from the use of
oils.

As always, I can’t endorse everything for either company and
if you read the reviews of each of them you will see that there are some who
think that a good bit of the contents are not helpful. And of course,
each is geared towards those who purchase their oils so there are numerous
references to their exclusive blends.

I personally chose Young Living Essential oils due to their
level of transparency and seed to seal guarantee. I believe that YL is
providing the highest quality oil possible. They don’t promote a bunch of stuff
you don’t need. lastly, resources, resources, resources! Seriously, if I have a
question, there are FB groups, reference books, websites and phone numbers.

USES

A few months ago, one of my friend's children had a cold that
wasn’t responding well to normal remedies. Within hours of applying Thieves, diluted with coconut
oil to her son’s feet and chest, he improved considerably.

Years ago, when my 15- and 13-year old were toddlers, my mother in law suggested frankincense and coconut oil on the bottom of their feet to boost immunity and help them sleep through the night. It sure seemed to help, as well as, uplift their mood and help with allergies.

Put a pinch of sea salt in the bottom of
an empty glass bottle (I buy mine HERE), add essential oils, wait a few seconds for the salt
to absorb the oils, fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water and use
throughout the day! I do a couple pumps in the morning and a couple pumps
in the evening.

I’m thrilled to be on this path where I've chosen to
start educating people on Young Living Essential Oils and can help those who
are ready to start using them too! If you have any questions, please email me
through the mail link at the top of my blog. And, please feel free to share
your Young Living essential oil testimonies in the comment section below…

Over time, I will be sharing many reasons to use essential oils,
so check back regularly.

If you're interested in purchasing
any Young Living essential oils to try out, email me at mandi.hulse2@gmail.comand I'd love to offer you my discount!
I'm happy to talk about all the options available to you. No
pressure, I promise! I just want people to find relief like I have!

Come back in the future for more ways
that essential oils have helped me AND for fun DIY beauty/household product
recipes!

* I am not a medical professional...I'm just speaking from experience and
these are my opinions. I am a Young Living representative, but just love
sharing how the oils have helped me!